2018 KABAJ REBULA GORISKA BRDA

2018 KABAJ REBULA. GORISKA BRDA, SLOVENIA (ORANGE WINE). 100% Rebula. (Sustainable/No chemical fertilizer)

Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery 2013 & 2015!

Rebula has been grown in Brda since the 13th century. Translating to “re-boil,” it references the wine’s proclivity to going through the secondary, malolactic fermentation. The grapes were hand harvested in late September from the Belo-Vhr and Neblo-Vhr vineyards, de-stemmed, and fermented on the skins for 30 days with wild yeast. Distinctively spicy and orange hued, it has aromas more reminiscent of red wine, including cherry and pepper. Despite a month of the skins, this is not an oxidatively styled orange wine, but rather a white wine with texture without sacrificing acidity. A perfect pairing with pork, freshwater fish, and earthy vegetables. All the Kabaj wines are made as nature intended, in the style and technique of ancient Slovenian winemaking traditions. The fruit is from organic vineyards and wine made with no use of chemical compounds, native yeasts only, no added sulfur and no filtration.

About: Generations of the Kabaj (Ka-bye) family have tended vineyards in Goriška Brda, but the family had never bottled wine commercially. In the late 80’s Katja Kabaj met French-enologist, Jean-Michel Morel, while he was working at an Italian estate, eventually they married and settled in Katja’s family village of Šlovrenc, to raise their family.

Kabaj maintains 29 acres of mainly terraced, marl vineyards. 70% are planted to white varieties, with an average vineyard age of 30 years, and yield of 1.5 kilos per vine. Single Guyot trellising is preferred, but older vineyards pruned otherwise, remain. The primary fertilizer is horse manure. Kabaj typically harvests later than their neighbors, yet the wines rarely exceed 13% abv. Working in batches and picking into small baskets, grapes are in the winery and de-stemming and in tank in less than 45 minutes.

In the cellar Kabaj produces between 60,000 and 70,000 bottles annually. At the core of their production are the local white varieties, Rebula ‘the queen of Brda’ and ‘Ravan’, an old local name for the grape formerly known as, Tocai Friullano. These two grapes are the primary components of ‘Amfora’ their most exotic wine. Smaller amounts of Beli Pinot (Pinot Blanc), Sivi Pinot (Pinot Gris) are also bottled. Finally there are the Kabaj red wines, taught, mineral expressions of Bordeaux varieties.

The winery is modest, and free of technology. Fermentation is typically conducted in large oak tank. All wines are fermented with native yeast, and macerated (fermented with the skins), between 1 and 30 days, depending on the sort. Malolactic fermentation in barrique follows.

Kabaj makes no “fresh wine”. Everything, white or red, spends at least 12 months (Amfora is an exception) in their large vaulted cellar room. Jean spends a tremendous amount of his time here. Tasting, planning and ultimately blending. Today, 3 proud generations of Kabaj maintain this genuinely family business. This has led to many accolades including being named a Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery both in 2013 and 2015. (Importer)